All the stories don't always have a happy ending
by Angelica R
Summary: [Tales from the Kingdoms] Spoil of the trilogy. Part 1. Different drabbles and OS. Introspection on the different characters of the novels, whose Snow White, the queen and the huntsman. Yuri and het.
1. OS 1 Part 1 : An indefinite feeling

All the stories don't always have a happy ending.

[Tales from the Kingdoms] Spoil of the trilogy. Part 1. Different drabbles and OS. Introspection on the different characters of the novels, whose Snow White, the queen and the huntsman. Yuri and het.

Tales from the Kingdoms : Trilogy of novels (Poison, Charm, Beauty) rewriting the fairy tales by changing or readjusting some elements of the story.

English version of my fanfiction "Toutes les histoires n'ont pas toujours une fin heureuse"

Disclaimer : Everything to Sarah Pinborough.

As English is not my mother tongue, there may be mistakes.

OS 1 Part 1 : An indefinite feeling.

Pairing : Snow White/Prince Charming (mentioned) Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison

As long as she remembered, Snow White had always loved her step-mother. Always. It never changed, despite all the years. Except that time passed, she had grown up and this love that should just have been a filial emotion changed into something else ; something she wasn't able to define.

And, as if it was not enough, then came the hatred of her stepmother against her. Everyone in the realm was afraid of her, because of all the rumours of wizardry ; Snow never paid attention to it, because even if the queen was strict and almost harsh towards her, the princess trust her, and above all, she _loved her_. So, she wasn't frightened of her. What she knew, was that her step-mother had no sympathy for her, in fact it became worst after the prank the dwarfs and her made at the queen's birthday party. Yet, she never though that she could want to kill her.

But that was before the event of the comb… When she knew what happened to the maid, that she _died_ because her step-mother made a gift, to her. It could not be a coincidence. Of course, Lilith tried to justify herself in front of her, assuring that this comb _brought happiness_ (which, according to Snow, was terribly ironic). Snow _really_ wanted to believe her, believe that she was telling her the truth, that her step-mother was not this monster that the others saw by watching at her, but… after it she couldn't trust her anymore. And then, she began to be afraid.

Moreover, in this period were developing in her some different feelings for Lilith, specially when this one shouted at her face "I hate you". The queen never knew that the young princess took refuge in her room et cried during all the evening. It was just there that she began to think that what she feeling for her was not totally normal.

Except that the queen had send the huntsman to kill her and she finally understood that Lilith could _never_ love her. "She hates me, isn't it ? She really hates me ?" Then, astounded and finally realising the horror of the situation, she had hiccuped : "She wants my heart?", her heart broke into pieces. And she just told to herself "I love her… I love her and she wants me dead" (she had also found ironic, as they wanted the same thing in a sense, the other's heart.)

Sleep with the huntsman wasn't a so good idea ; although it was her first time, it didn't help her to get rid of her obsession for the queen, of her feelings. (And of her desire for her that she realized by understanding the relationship between the huntsman and the queen. Which made her become jealous of it; which explained her strange demands: "Kissed me as _she_ kissed you). It was a great experience, despite it, even if she knew it wouldn't be enough to make her forget her step-mother…

She had run away, at the dwarfs house, but it had not been enough to make her able to protect herself from the queen (or from herself, as she was watched out by depression, knowing that the woman she loved hated so much that she wanted her to be killed, and dead). The day the witch appeared in front of her with the apple, the princess was just beginning to be happy again. But when she saw the old woman, she had recognized her…

Of course she had recognized her, so she accepted to die (having no doubt about the queen's intentions) because she would have probably kill herself in the end, because of her despair, if the queen didn't come. She sank, with just one regret, that she wasn't able to say goodbye to her friends.

But the prince came then, and he had _woken her_ ; she didn't love him, how could had she ? She didn't even know him ! But, as apparently the prince loved her, maybe that by knowing him better, she could learn to love him ? He would enable her to cure her from her impossible love for her step-mother, and he would never hurt her, she was convinced of it.

It hadn't been the case, as he _betrayed_ her by _poisoning_ her the same way Lilith did, but in a deceitful way (as Lilith, but contrary to now, she knew what would happen if she ate this apple).

And, as her last though was focusing on the one that she still loved and that she called for help in though, for the second time, she felt herself falling into an eternal sleep.

 _To be continued..._


	2. Drabble 1 : Not a child anymore

All the stories don't always have a happy ending.

Tales from the Kingdoms : Trilogy of novels (Poison, Charm, Beauty) rewriting the fairy tales by changing or readjusting some elements of the story.

English version of my fanfiction "Toutes les histoires n'ont pas toujours une fin heureuse"

Drabble 1 : Not a child anymore.

Centred on the Evil Queen

Pairing : Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison

It finally appears to her as an evidence, but strangely, the first time she realizes it, this is not jealousy which twists her belly. At least, not yet. This day, it's Snow White's birthday, who attains her nineteen years old. It happens before, before the king left them to go to war, and also before Lilith let herself be suffocated by the hatred which eats up her.

Yes, today, the princess celebrates her nineteen years old and the queen realizes that she has to be considered as an adult (during her eighteen years' birthday, the queen didn't think about it, because there was no party, as the king was in war). As a step-mother (and so, substitute mother), she was the one who choose her clothing, a dress of a beautiful emerald green ; but the queen didn't expect what she was going to discover. The princess then emerged in her room, clothed of her dress and prepared for the party. She had swirled on herself, and had asked innocently to Lilith:

"Mum, how do you think I look ?" (because at that time, their relationship wasn't yet reduced into pieces, the princess could call her that way, and at the beginning, it made the queen smile. Then, it was not the case, and she did not allow her to do this anymore). Lilith, at this moment stayed frozen, paralysed by what she saw.

 _She is not a child_ _anymore_ , was the first though her brain succeeded to express, before she managed to calm herself and then answered her with a sharp tone "you're beautiful Snow". With a smile, the young princess had bow down and then left the room to go with her father. The queen stayed during a little time frozen, while a perfectly recognizable feeling settled in her lower abdomen. Yes, Snow White was _beautiful_ , she always was but now Lilith just realized that she was more than that ; from now on she was desirable and Lilith was not able to move.

She had the impression that it was the first time she saw the young princess as she really was, not only a pretty doll, but also a woman. A woman that she desired as she never desired someone before (definitely _not_ her husband) ; this observation made her become furious, and during all the day she fixed the princess with her eyes. Everyone interpreted this attitude as surveillance and no one understood the desire which gradually overwhelmed the young queen; she felt as if a lot of things had been hidden to her eyes before this day.

And yes, Snow White could not be considered as a child, except that she was still behaving as if she was still one ! With her desire began then to appear a jealousy by seeing her so free and so loved which was something she never lived; a breath of anger blended with a blurred desire invaded her and she decided to leave the party, although it was early and asked her servants to prepare her a bath, so she could calm herself. But it was a wasted effort.

As she was naked, in her bath, images of Snow White assaulted her even though she didn't expect it; images of the princess dressed with this sublime green dress (she shouldn't have make her wear it, she blamed herself, although she knew it would have change nothing), but then other emerged about the princess, without her clothes, this time, and the queen jumped. _Oh_! She _really_ was not expecting it. These same images, born from her imagination tormented her and finally completely obsessed her; she never saw the princess' body completely undressed but she knew how much she was pretty, and her clothes just perfectly suggested how her forms were perfect. The queen wanted to blame herself for her own thoughts about her step-daugther, thoughts that she never, _never_ should have (because after all, she should have just desire for her husband, but who could desire an ogre? Not her).

Instead of, she couldn't keep herself from letting slide her hand in direction to her tights et, then with a light hesitation, she began to touch herself, thinking to Snow White. She knew it was something wrong (because technically it could be assimilated to incest), but she really _needed_ it, to free herself from this tension, this desire which invaded her all the day, and by biting her lips, so she would not moan the princess' name. As she came, it was with the name of Snow White in though and on the edge of her lips…

After that, she get a grip on herself; she was the queen, married to a man she didn't love, but she had the power after all and she couldn't let herself be took by what she felt !

Consequently, she tried to bury in her all these desire and all the good things she could feel about the princess; then just stayed what she saw this day, the fact that the princess, although she was an adult was still behaving as a child, a thing she was not anymore and _she_ , unlike the queen, she was _free_. And Lilith could not support it. "So, as I can't love her, I will hate her", she whispered before going to bed just next to her husband who was coming from the party.

And, from this day, the hatred of the queen began to grow against the poor princess…


	3. Drabble 2 : Two idiots

All the stories don't always have a happy ending.

Tales from the Kingdoms : Trilogy of novels (Poison, Charm, Beauty) rewriting the fairy tales by changing or readjusting some elements of the story.

English version of my fanfiction "Toutes les histoires n'ont pas toujours une fin heureuse"

Drabble 2 : Two idiots.

Centred on the Huntsman

Pairing : No pairing (Snow White/Lilith = mentioned)

Spoil : Poison (chapter 4)

The Huntsman was not an idiot, when he slept with the queen, he knew that she had no love for him, and also that he was not the one she wanted to be with. No, the huntsman was definitely not idiot and after his encounter with the queen, he understood that she knew very well how to lie. She told him she wanted Snow White dead; of course it was a lie that the huntsman succeeded to notice because as a huntsman he knew how to see desire in the eyes of a woman. The queen didn't hate Snow White, she desired her, she may love her; but this, the huntsman wasn't able to know. Did the queen realize what her words could also mean ? "I want her heart", she asked him (it was a threat of death as the expression of a hidden desire and also denied) and the huntsman accepted, with this thought in mind despite it.

 _On this side, the queen is an idiot_. This though resurged when he saw Snow White, and they talked; the princess, horrified by Lilith' hatred couldn't keep herself saying: "She wants my heart ?" Another thought appeared suddenly, as he was facing the princess' tears. _The queen is an idiot, because this heart, she already owns it_. He understood it when she asked him to kiss her just as _she_ (the queen) kissed him; quite evidently the young woman loved the queen and she probably didn't realize it (or maybe that she already knew it). _She was also idiot_.

They were two young woman who loved each other and because of their disability to understand the other and because of their idiocy they tore each other to pieces. But him, he would not meddle in it, because this affair didn't concern him and that the princess was saved. _Yes_ , said the huntsman to himself as he was going to the castle with in his hand the bag containing the hind' heart, _there are just both idiots_.


	4. OS 1 Part 2 : Find her happy ending

OS 1 Part 2 : Find her happy ending.

Pairing : Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison/Charm

During her sleep that should have been eternal, Snow White felt absolutely nothing, she was just sleeping in a profound sleep. If someone asked her just after her awakening what you could live or feel when you are under a sleeping curse, she may have answer that there was nothing.

The first time she woke up, Snow was extremely surprised to come back to life, but not relieved; she _wanted_ to die but clearly the queen's spell was not enough powerful for that. It was really easy to accept the love of the prince and the princess tried to persuade herself that over time she could have affection for him, even love him, but it was a complete failure and she found herself again asleep, a second time…

Her second awakening was totally different, because this time, when the queen kissed her in order to wake up her, she _felt_ something when she woke up, that is to say a very powerful wave of magic (True Love's magic, but didn't know it, not yet). She breathed again, just as if she never seemed to be dead, her eyes closed and then opened and she realized that the spell had been broken again. Except that this time it couldn't be by accident, it must have been make voluntary; Snow stood up straight and had the surprise to hear a voice she thought she would never have the chance to hear again:

"I am sorry."

Snow White's filled with happiness when she realized that it was her step-mother (former, as her father was dead, a thing she still didn't know) and she had the impression to explode with joy by understanding that _she_ woke up her. _So… she doesn't hate me?_ Snow White turned over her and her heart beat faster; her step-mother was so beautiful ! The princess, surprisingly wasn't annoyed with her for what she did to her, but she also loved her even more than before.

"I thought you hated me, she finally said as Lilith stayed silent. But I… I just wanted you to love me." _And you do ?_ Was the though she didn't dare to formulate at a high voice. Lilith addressed her a shy smile and Snow White couldn't keep herself kissing her a second time. And, as they were ready to leave, the princess finally asked her how she woke up her (not by removing a piece of an apple from her throat, not this time); the answer appeared to her as an evidence, and they both smiled…

Their return was good, even though their passage to the house of the queen's great-grand-mother was a little… stormy: indeed, the young princess couldn't help but shivering with disgust by seeing the bones of the children spread on the ground (Lilith herself was a little rattled by this.) But the young woman had been strangely… comprehensible and acceded to the request of the queen to bring the old woman with them (at least they would stop her killing children.)

"Tell me ? Asked Snow. Do you feed yourself also with _normal_ food, instead of the children ? The old woman giggled.

\- I like her Lilith, I see you did a good choice. And just some weeks ago you still wanted to see her dead, with her heart in you hands. Wasn't I right to advise you this spell ?

\- Yes, grandma, the young woman agreed, with a false sight.

\- Well princess, I do some times feed myself with non-human food, if you want to know it. Even if

young children's flesh is much more tasty.

\- I have no doubt about it; but if you accept to follow us you will have to stop doing it.

\- Right, it will change my habits, but after all it will allow me to have time with you, Lilith."

To return in their realm was something simple, as they were hidden by Lilith' and the other witch's magic (for the first time Snow White's eyes had admiration for her as she saw her magic being used for another thing than evil. Lilith felt a great heat in her heart.) They didn't announce the princess' return, this one wanted to see her friends, the dwarves and give them their pony, but also tell them she was safe. And she insisted on the fact that Lilith had to come with her; she didn't agree first, arguing that the dwarves knew she was responsible of what happened to their princess and that they wouldn't forgive her for this.

"Yes, but you saved me from the prince, and from the Sleeping Curse, and I forgave you, and I love you. And you're my happy ending, so I'm sure that they will accept you."

The queen's heart was now filled with happiness, and even if she didn't really believe in it; she embraced her, then kissed her, and they both went to the dwarves' home. The reunion had been marvellous, the dwarves as Snow were really happy to see each other again; the queen not seen by them, had a tenderized smile by seeing them reunited again. Grumpy saw her first, no far from them and encircled by the sun light; all the dwarves finally also saw her, and, as just one man, placed themselves just above Snow White to protect her. Protection doubly useless, because the queen had no intention to hurt someone, but also because if she wanted it, the dwarves wouldn't have resist during a long time. She approached them.

She _was_ the Evil Queen; what the dwarves thought of her had no importance, but they were important for her princess, so even though she wasn't accepted by them, she just wanted them to know that they were wrong about her. Snow shook her head, smiling, and said:

\- My friends, you don't have to be afraid, you can trust her. They all turned in her direction, with opened eyes. I assure you, she doesn't want to hurt me, she is not the Evil Queen anymore.

\- Snow, Dreamy said, she put a spell on you ? And where is the prince ? Did she kill him ?

As she remembered this dark period of her life, the princess had a dark look.

\- No Dreamy, in fact, it's even the contrary, she saved me from him."

And, facing the dwarves that all had a surprised look on their faces, Snow told them all the story; as she did, their faces became pale as they realized that they barely send their princess to death.

"But it changes nothing, said Grumpy. She did want to kill you, he said by looking at the queen with an angry look, but she stayed imperturbable.

\- Maybe, but trust me, she regrets what she did, you can be sure of that.

\- So… Dreamy demanded, we were wrong ? It was the prince the villain of the story ?

\- In a way, yes, the queen declared (and they all started) but don't worry, he should not be a problem for us now and stay in his kingdom."

By looking at her, Dreamy, who was the more attentive of them understood that something _really_ changed in her; all her sadness and her hatred seemed to have disappeared, and she looked more… calm. _I hope we can trust her_. But they also trusted in the prince and they were so wrong; but this time, their princess explained to them, that she would not be so far and they could come to the castle. The queen accepted when the others looked at her. And, unconsciously, the dwarves hoped that things could change, in good, this time. They all understood at seeing the look of the princess on the queen that it really was her happy ending, and they were all happy that she finally found it. But what about the queen ?

And, it is with a light heart but a rest of suspicious that they looked their loved princess leave in direction to the castle, hoping that they would see her again.

 _To be continued ?_


	5. Drabble 3

Drabble 3 : Hatred is the only feeling that matters.

Centred on the Evil Queen

Pairing : Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison

It was so easy to love Snow White. It was something that everyone in the kingdom could have said; their dear princess was so pretty with her long dark hair, her purple eyes and her white skin ! And she was also kind, not proud and loving for everyone, people from the crowd or nobles; yes, the young woman was really loved by everyone.

This, the queen knew it perfectly and herself just could be under the charm of the princess Eleanor (true name of Snow White); how could have her act differently ? The princess did absolutely everything she could do to seduce her, to please her; she was truly _adorable_. And it was Lilith' problem, because this damn princess who was her step-daughter was someone too adorable for her own good. After the party organized in honour of Snow, she swore to herself she wouldn't let her feelings for the princess grow up; it wasn't a success…

The queen was exhausted by it; she had more and more difficulties to accept this situation that was becoming every day more and more insupportable; she didn't support anymore to see every day the blood-red lips of the princess and have a sudden desire to kiss her. She suffered terribly each time the other woman talked with another person, noble or servant. She didn't want to see Snow each time in the corridors, she and her beautiful smile and just thinking to flatten her against a wall and kiss her until they couldn't breathe and let her more profound desire to be expressed.

Desire Snow White was a true _hell_ , and the queen succeeded little by little to bury this desire as this growing love in the deep of her heart so these one would not come back. Yes, love, true love didn't exist, Lilith understood it now, as she never realized it before. This love would destroy her, would weaken her and all she wanted, _it was power, no_? Now, everything that she felt for the princess (excepting her profound irritation with admiration and jealousy for her independence, a thing she never had), was just hatred. _Yes_ , she said to herself in the loneliness of her secret room, _hatred is the only feeling that matters_.

She needed nothing except that…


	6. Drabble 4 : Heartless boy

Drabble 4 : Heartless boy

Spoil : Poison

Pairing : No pairing

Aladdin always was someone greedy; avidity was probably the personality trait that was the more pronounced in him. Yes, Aladdin loved the riches, gold, jewels or even precious stones; this desire of riches had always been with a thirst for blood and murder. As a child, he killed for the first time, so he could get a jewel, he though belonged to him. It was just an accident, but Aladdin adored it; he loved this feeling of power and strength he felt. He said nothing to someone, and then things degenerated.

A powerful sorcerer gave him a task, as he was twelve years old, almost thirteen; to find a magic lamp and bring it to him and he would make him rich. The young man had to go through some ordeals he succeeded to defeat with difficulties and brought back the lamp to the wizard. But, as he was on the return, the idea of keeping the lamp for himself rapidly crossed his mind still greedy of gold and treasures. Kill the sorcerer had been something harsh, but thanks to the help of the genie of the lamp, he won. He didn't force the genie to kill him, no… He did worst than that.

His first wish was: "Give me the power to defeat him." The genie, disgusted by his new master just had to accept and left the sorcerer without his powers, but it wasn't enough for the kid; his desire to see the man bleed was too strong and he hit him during a time without taking into account the screams of the wizard, or the disgusted look of the genie. It had been his first voluntary crime, followed by some other, the genie waiting desperately that the young boy makes his tenth wish (so the genie would be free and Aladdin would take his place). The young thirteen years old boy who killed his father so he could keep the lamp didn't understand what was happening to him the day he was imprisoned in the lamp; lamp that then happened in the hands of the evil queen.

Aladdin believed for a time that she would free him from the lamp; when he understood that it would not happen, he decided to get rid of her. Find this rich house had been simple, to enter in also, as steal some objects; when he entered into one of the rooms, he saw a beautiful comb in silver carved with two unicorns. Slowly, a plan appeared in the mind of the thief, and he smiled. He took it immediately; what he didn't expect, is that an adolescent of his age (one of the inhabitants of the house, probably) would enter.

"Hey ! Who are you and what are you… But this is my comb ! Give it to me, you, thief, said the young girl with long dark hair, and blue eyes."

Aladdin reacted immediately, he didn't want any witness and this time he didn't have the time to have fun. He hurled himself on the poor girl and, in order to stop her from crying, he cut her throat and loved doing it and then left the house without being seen and with a smile on his lips. The comb in his hand, he became happy to finally have a way to free himself _definitely_ from the evil queen. Still a smile on his lips, the one who became a _heartless boy_ went into the castle, with under his nails the blood of a poor girl he didn't know, and of which he didn't care.

This young girl had a name, and her name was Jasmine…


	7. Drabble 5 : Poor cursed little girl

Drabble 5 : Poor cursed little girl.

Summary: What if before she cast the second curse, Petra had a discussion with Belle ?

Pairing : No pairing/friendship Belle/Petra

Spoil : Beauty

To tell nothing to Rumplestiltskin hadn't been easy; but the surprise and the joy that he would feel by finding Petra' great-grand-mother really worth it. Petra stayed immobile some moments, looking at the setting around her. It was a magnificent room, in which the diner organized by the prime Minister would soon happen. Petra almost had a nostalgic smile knowing that time would soon stop in this realm.

She jumped by hearing a door being opened and she turned, seeing the young queen walking in her direction with a smile; Petra made a nervous smile she tried without success to make seem natural. The queen understood it :

"You know, you don't have to be uncomfortable with me because I am the queen; please, stay natural."

She had no idea of how she was right, because Petra had difficulties of staying calm facing this young woman who already had committed crimes without knowing it. She never saw the Beast act, but what the prince told her was enough to make her see the monster that was in her.

Bell had a smile and she looked trough the window:

"It's a beautiful evening, don't you think ?"

Petra nodded; the queen frowned:

"Excuse me, but I don't remember your name.

\- I'm Petra, your majesty, I am… a friend of the prince, she said with a little hesitation.

The queen's face lighted up and she nodded:

"I am happy Petra, do you know why?" She asked by turning in her direction. Because today, I will marry the man I love, and that together, we will live an eternal happiness; I hope you'll find such a happiness? Don't you share mine ?

\- Of course yes, majesty," answered Petra with a forced smile that the queen didn't see, as she was concerned by her own joy.

Petra didn't know what to think of it, felt ill at ease because of the enchanted distaff that Rumplestiltskin gave her and thinking about the spell that she would soon inflict to the beautiful and young and innocent queen (but was she really ? Petra wanted to believe it, even though it would mean kill an innocent). The queen offered her a last smile, made a gracious bow to which Petra tried to make the same, with awkwardness, and she left.

Petra had to bite her lip hard enough to draw blood so she would not cry because of such a waste. Oh yes, she really complained her, this _poor cursed little girl_.


	8. Drabble 6 : A king is never perfect

Drabble 6 : A king is never perfect.

Centred on the king in Poison

Pairing : The king/his first wife The king/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison

The thing that everyone in the kingdom could have said, is that their king was not someone excessively good; some people would have qualified him of frightening (after all, he was an ogre) or as someone vain or also as searching for the glory (because of all the wars he made).

If someone had asked to the actual queen, Lilith, this one would have probably qualified her husband as being a _slob_ (which he was). Or would have said that he really loved his daughter or that he was just a weak king.

No, no one could say that the king was particularly loved, except by the crowd or by his daughter; of course it was reciprocal just with his daughter. The king didn't love his people, in the sense that he had no consideration for him and wasn't preoccupied with him.

On the other hand, the king _adored_ his daughter; it was something that no one could deny, even if it appeared clearly that the true love of the king should be the war, that he practised with diligence since forever.

Except for his daughter, the king loved no one except himself, no even the queen. At least not the one that was in his bed; the other, his first wife, the queen Christelle, (dead since a certain time) had been sincerely loved by the king.

This one, at her death, really mourned her and was in mourning for long months. It had been probably the only time he showed to the eyes of everyone that he suffered.

Then, he had to get married again, with Lilith and if he didn't love her, she really pleased him; the queen, on her side, couldn't retain a shiver of disgust by seeing him move closer to her, then sleep, and beginning to snore.

 _Yes_ , she thought by thinking about all theses tales that had been told about the princes and the kings, and about how much they could be wonderful, and thinking about the fact that it was false, _a king is never perfect_.


	9. Drabble 7 : I could love her

Drabble 7 : I could love her.

Centred on the encounter Snow/Lilith. Snow's point of view.

Pairing : Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoiler : Poison

Snow White is seventeen years old when she meets for the first time the one who will become her step-mother; and when she sees her, she is subjugated. Before Lilith comes in the kingdom, Snow doesn't want a new mother, because she already had one before but this one died when she was thirteen years old at a time when people still called her Eleanor. Even before Lilith's arrival, Snow already hates her even if she never saw her, and despite the attempts of her father to show her her portrait.

Eleanor loves her father, she says nothing wrong about his future wife, but in secret she grinds her teeth; the servants fix nothing, because since queen Christelle's death, this one is celebrated by everyone, and obviously the future queen doesn't measure up, even though she didn't arrive yet.

Eleanor doesn't want another mother, but she doesn't talk, and in secret she imagines what the _other_ , as she nicknames her, may look like. She has to be beautiful, that's a thing the princess thinks is true, because in her naivety, she is persuaded that her father will marry her because he loves her (that's also why she doesn't blame him for his choice).

But even before she knows her, Eleanor persuades herself that she has to be sharp, and churlish and also older than her (the same age as her father, according to her) and even before she is here, she hates her. She doesn't know that from now until some years, their roles will be reversed, completely (because now, Lilith on her side has no particular hatred against the princess, but indifference.)

Then, one day, Lilith comes, and Eleanor's heart begins to beat wildly and she doesn't understand _why_ (no one really explained her what love is; when they did, they evoked the one that can exist between a man and a woman). She doesn't realize completely what she is feeling; but unconsciously a part of her already knows it.

Lilith is beautiful, Lilith is young, and moreover, she is splendid and kind and _damn_ , how Eleanor did think one moment that something would be wrong between them ? She instantly falls under her charm and realizes that the one who claim that she is a beauty had been wrong; they never met Lilith and don't know what the true beauty is.

She falls in love with her, and it's so easy (in fact, this is not love, not yet, but it will soon become it; then, with the years, she will have to bury this feeling deep inside herself). Then, Lilith smiles to her, and the heart of the one who will soon be called Snow White explodes. _Yes,_ she told to herself, _I could love her_.


	10. Drabble 8 : You were my sister !

Drabble 8 : You were my sister !

Centred on Rose after they discover that Cinderella is the young girl with the slipper.

Pairing : No pairing (soft Cinderella/Prince Charming)

Spoil : Charm.

Rose never really hated Cinderella; certainly this one could sometimes be capricious, no one, even her father would have deny it, but despite this she didn't feel any hatred towards her. Maybe it was because this that Cinderella's betrayal really hurt her.

Damn, Cinderella was her _sister_ , she should have trusted her and tell her ! By the gods, she cut her own toe to be able to enter into this damned slipper ! It was worthless, in the end, but Rose would not forgive to Cinderella the fact that she didn't tell her. Well, talking about her…

"Rose ! Rose, please; wait me !"

They were still at their home, waiting to go to the castle. Rose felt no kind of gratitude towards her half-sister, and tried without any success to outrun her. She didn't succeed to retain a grimace of pain, facing the pain caused by her hurt foot. Cinderella, who finally caught her again, gave her a look full of culpability.

"It hurts you, Cinderella whispered.

\- What a sense of observation little sister, well done ! Rose answered her with irony.

\- Listen to me Rose, I… I am sorry that I told you nothing, but the prince… I love him !

\- Do you think it changes something ? Rose whistled. Cinderella, you don't understand ! I don't care about the prince, you heard me ? But Cinderella, _you were my sister_ ! You should have tell me; I wouldn't have to cut a part of my foot ! Cinderella, I love you as a sister, unlike you, but now, you went too far; I don't think the prince worth the fact that you shut up yourself…

\- Rose, I beg you, you have to listen what I want to tell you.

\- No Cinderella, Rose whispered by turning her head with a sad smile. It's too late now."

And, without a look for her sister, she went with difficulty in the direction of the carriage.


	11. Drabble 9 : Just five minutes

Drabble 9 : Just five minutes.

Centred on Snow White during her stay at the dwarves' home. Mention of depression and suicidal thoughts.

Pairing : Snow White/Lilith (Evil Queen)

Spoil : Poison

If you forgot just for a time the attempts of murder that her step-mother tried to do on her, Snow White should admit that she was happy to live at the dwarves' home. They were her best friends; they had received her and she loved them a lot (and they did the same to her). Except for the castle, the princess knew no other place where she could have a better live; yes, she was really happy to be in this place.

But all the friendship that the dwarves could have for her weren't enough to make her happy, but that was a thing the dwarves couldn't understand. Oh, they knew that she wasn't really happy, not completely, but after all, they told to themselves, how could she be happy their little princess, far from her home and from her father, purchased by the hatred of her step-mother ? They couldn't have been so deeply wrong…

She missed her father, yes, but it was not the worst of it; indeed, for her the worst was about her step-mother. She wanted to see her _dead_ , and Snow had felt her heart break as she heard it (she would have almost want to die when she knew it): then, the young woman with violet eyes sank slowly into depression. Fall had been so simple, so, so easy…

The situation itself was extremely easy, Snow loved a young woman, her step-mother and this one didn't love her; the princess was sometimes taken by a desire to die. For now, she tried nothing, because she didn't have the occasion to.

But there was a morning where the princess didn't want to go out of her bedroom; when she woke up, her look was attracted by something that was in her bag. A fine dagger, given by her father to her so she could defend herself. The woman's look became blurred, and she took the weapon.

For a time, she was tempted to use it on herself; cut her wrists and let her blood flow and just let herself slowly slide, slide into an eternal sleep. An almost crazy smile settled on the face of the princess, and during an instant, the temptation became almost too strong. The look lost and empty, she gripped the weapon in her fine fingers, almost cutting herself; she was ready to do it, she just had to…

"Snow, are you okay ? The princess started as she heard Dreamy's voice; this one, worried that the princess didn't answer to his calls, finally decided to go up, and was now close to her room.

\- Yes Dreamy, don't worry, answered the princess with a false assured voice. Just… let me _just five minutes"_ , she said by tightening her embrace on the dagger.


	12. Drabble 10

Drabble 10 : Everything is just a story of misfortune.

Centred on the prince during the trilogy

Spoil : Poison/Charm/Beauty

Pairing : The prince/Snow White The prince/Cinderella The prince/Belle

Say about the prince that he wasn't someone _charming_ wouldn't have been a great new for someone; if you had the huntsman's point of view, he would have probably said that this was a coward and also someone vain. This prince had nothing heroic in him, and didn't always show great courage; he didn't fight bloodthirsty monster nor killed a dragoon to save a village.

No, the prince was nothing of that; it didn't mean that he worth nothing or that he was entirely responsible of everything that happened. Of course, the prince made a lot of _errors_ , it was true, but after all, he didn't cause all the misfortunes of the kingdom !

The episode with Belle had been an incredibly _stupid_ error, even the prince could admit it; he simply didn't have chance, how could he know that a so much beautiful woman hide such darkness in her ? No one knew it, even not the huntsman didn't understand that ! (But yeah, kiss Belle then ask her to marry him had been _really_ idiot).

Here, it just had been misfortune.

What happened with Snow White was in part the prince's fault, but also because of Dreamy. Here again, the prince believed what he saw, a young woman waiting to be awaken and saved (even his encounter with Petra didn't change his point of view about women, still seeing them as little fragile things…) And after he woke up her.

Then, he bitterly regretted it…

Because what Dreamy told him was wrong ! Snow White was beautiful, young, and soft, but also completely free, a thing that the prince didn't like. And the prince was extremely cruel towards the poor princess, who didn't deserve her fate; despite that, he didn't have chance to find her sleeping (as the princess too, who didn't have many chance to meet him.)

But, with Cinderella, the prince had really been completely manipulated (maybe it was a revenge by the Evil Queen for what he did to Snow White ?).

The magic of the slippers made him not to be able to free himself from this wonderful beauty that was Cinderella at that time; and just then, when she didn't have the shoes, he had been free from the spell. And that brought another deception, again because of the misfortune.

Yes, _everything is just a story of misfortune_. Well, _almost_ , because to promise his first child to Rumplestiltskin had been _his_ choice, and wasn't cause by chance.

And, _that_ , that had been _really_ stupid.


	13. Drabble 11

Drabble 11 : You're the one I was waiting for.

Centred on the Huntsman; when he realizes that Cinderella is the woman he saw in his dreams.

Spoil : Charm + Beauty

Pairing : Huntsman/Cinderella.

The Huntsman needs time before he realizes that this is _her_ who is just in front of him; the first time he understands it, he is still a rat, and the queen didn't yet free him in part from the spell. He doesn't really have time to think about it right now, because one of the things that he has to do now, is to find the queen.

After he found her, he goes again to Cinderella' home, because he has no other place to go, and because there is something in him that tells him that he _has_ to go there. And even if he doesn't understand yet why, he decides to follow his instinct. There is no _This is her_ that explodes in him when he sees her again, but this red hair is familiar to him. But for now, nothing wakes up in him.

He doesn't realize that it's the girl of his dream, his true love, when she is under the spell of her "fairy god-mother" (this is not really who she is, but the Huntsman doesn't care about it.) He understands this before, when he hears her laugh, in his spirit something activates for the first time and he sees again this silhouette who ran just in front of him.

It's the moment when he realizes it, and suddenly he really feels _complete_. Even if she deceives him then because the only thing she wants, is the prince (and him, he knows the true face of him; he hope that she will understand it soon, or he will be a rat forever.)

When she is here, next to him, as he is human, he doesn't care about the fact that she despises him, because one day, she will know. And this is why he smiles, because the only thing he thinks when she is here is: _you're the one I was waiting for_.


	14. OS 2 : I just wanted to be pretty

OS 2 : I just wanted to be pretty !

Centred on the servant who tested the poisoned comb offered to Snow White.

Pairing : Tillie/OC

Spoiler : Poison

Tillie is fourteen years old when she is appointed to the castle as a servant, and she can't stop herself from feeling proud of herself. It's the first time her family looks at her with an approving look. The young girl hadn't many things for her; she wasn't really pretty, nor really smart, but she was pretty good in what she did.

To go to the castle had been a magnificent experience, as the place was beautiful and the princess was so kind, and sweet and _pretty_. For a time, she wants to hate her to possess all these qualities whereas she had almost none of them; but the princess is too friendly to be hated. The princess is just eighteen, and some day when she sees Tillie crying, she holds her in her arms, and this is maybe at that moment that the servant understands why the princess is so appreciated.

 _§§§§_

Tillie is fifteen when she falls in love for the first time; his name is Jack, he is seventeen years old, and he is profoundly beautiful. She knows that there will be nothing between them, she doesn't love herself enough to believe in it, and no one, except her parents and the princess, encouraged her. So she perfectly knows that she deludes herself when she hopes for a time that he will love her some day. She doesn't know that she is wrong.

He surpasses this, he falls in love with her, _truly_ , and when he tells her that, she can't believe in it because she thinks it's impossible. But he proves it to her, and finally she believes in it. And she starts to hope that she will be happy. She is, for a time.

 _§§§§_

Tillie is sixteen and fear grows slowly in her, all the servants talk about what is happening, and all are afraid of the queen, and of her powers, and with the king not being here, it's even worse. But Tillie has faith despite everything and she hopes everything will be fine. The terror the queen inspires to everyone doesn't concern her, as she doesn't try to hurt the princess, and it still works. For a very little time, but despite that, she still hopes.

One day, the queen offers to Snow White a comb; the princess is not here, so it's Tillie who receives it, and the temptation to use it on her burns her. _I want to be pretty_ , she whispers to herself, _for Jack_. Yes, that was probably what she could have told to herself, after she put this on her, _I just wanted to be pretty_. And when she finally does it, she has no idea of what terrible error she just made…

At the beginning, everything is fine, and she feels herself like being a _princess_ , and someone _pretty_ ; but just after, things go wrong. Because what the queen said is false, and that the comb is a mortal accessory, and then she _screams_ and the pain is terrible. By chance for her, it doesn't last a long time, and she dies.

The princess is the one who finds her, and in the end she is the only one who understands why she did it, that she _just_ _wanted_ _to_ _be_ _pretty…_ For Jack, his heart breaks into pieces and he knows that he won't be able to put the pieces back together, because it was _her_ , his true love and that she is not here any more for him.

He curses himself until the end of his life for not having stopped her to do it.

And this is how ended the life of the one who just wanted to be pretty…


	15. OS 3 Part 1 : What about my father ?

OS 3 Part 1 : What about my father ?

OS in some parts, centred on Rapunzel, her awakening after her father left her, and her life in the tower until she was released from it.

Pairing : No pairing

Spoiler : Beauty.

 _It shouldn't have happened that way…._

That was the first though that invaded Rapunzel's spirit as she woke up, not in her home and not far from her father, but in the bed of the witch that told them she would help to save the realm from the Beast that threatened it. This first thought appeared in the young girl's mind after a time, because she needed time to succeed to be herself again.

Suddenly, she started, seeing the witch seating in her rocking chair and facing the fire: she began to smile to her with indulgence, which didn't stop Rapunzel from being afraid. Some minutes passed, while a silence appeared and stayed. Rumplestiltskin's daughter finally broke it :

"Where is my father ? Rapunzel asked to the old woman.

\- Gone, answered the witch with calm."

Rapunzel may was only sixteen, as Belle was, but she wasn't so naive, and immediately understood that something in the witch's tone wasn't normal. This last one seemed to jubilate, as being extremely satisfied of herself, almost as if… her plans were realizing just as she wanted them to.

"Gone where, and why ? Asked Rapunzel, horrified. Her father would have never left her, that was a certitude, he would _never_ have abandoned her.

\- Back home, of course ! Said the witch. What else could he do ? I gave him what he wanted.

\- What ? What do you mean ? You have a way to stop the curse on Belle… I mean, the princess ?

The other woman send a sharp look to the young woman who just looked down, and then, a fine smile appeared on her face.

\- This… princess. You really like her, don't you ? Maybe even a little more, she muttered for herself, with nostalgia in her eyes." Rapunzel just nodded. "I guess you would want to save her." She nodded again. "Unfortunately, she said with a sincere pity, it won't be possible."

Rapunzel's look became hurt, but as she was used to misfortune, she rapidly admitted this fact.

"But, she finally dared, madam, _what about my father_ ?"

With no sympathy, the old woman (centenarian, even if she didn't seem to be so old) gave her a letter; that was the one Rumplestiltskin wrote so his daughter would understand why he had to leave without her. Trembling, Rapunzel began to read it.

 _My dear Rapunzel,_

 _If you feel yourself being abandoned, I want you to know that I am sorry about that, and that I love you more than everything. But I do love also our kingdom, and as you, I refuse that it is destroyed by the Beast. I know this is not what you want; Belle is dangerous, and even if she ignores that, it changes nothing to the fact that she must be stopped._

 _It is impossible to the witch to take this curse from Belle, and maybe that no one can, because maybe she should have never been born, and that her birth itself was a curse for the king and the kingdom…_

 _I wish that it wasn't the case; darling, the witch gave me an object which will allow me to… kill Belle and save the realm from what she could have been. What she would have become; what she may already is. She will die, but even if it hurts me to have to make her disappear, I have no other choice. Except that this magic comes with a price to pay (know it, all magic comes with a price, always), a price which is the thing I love most… you. You will stay with this witch during the time for Belle to die, and when it will be done (in a very little time), I swear I will come back to you._

 _Rapunzel, my loved daughter, I love you, and I promise you that I will be here soon for, and then I will take you with me, and we will be happy together,_

 _you father, Rumplestiltskin_.

Once she read the letter, Rapunzel realized that she was crying; as she knew now, at this instant that when you used of magic, there was always a price to pay, that could be really heavy and high. But the security of the realm was in the balance ( _and of course everything would be better if Belle died, no_ ?), so she accepted to stay with the witch who proposed her to learn magic (as she knew the young woman would have to stay for a long time.)

"No _,_ sheanswered with assurance, my father will come for me, and I don't need this, I have no trust in magic, thanks to him, even if it seems to be sometimes helpful."

The witch just smiled, knowing that the girl would soon lose hope, as the curse wouldn't be destroyed before at least a hundred years. Yes, soon the young adolescent would stop fighting, and the old witch would have a new apprentice.

A new apprentice who would soon stop question and bore the witch with her demands and her _what about my father ?_ She perfectly knew it…

 _To be continued…_


	16. OS 3 Part 2 : I am alone now

OS 3 Part 2 : I am alone now.

OS in some parts, centred on Rapunzel, her awakening after her father left her, and her life in the tower until she was released from it.

Pairing : No pairing

Spoiler : Beauty.

For Rapunzel, the first days of her life in the tower weren't really pleasant, as the witch wasn't a really sympathetic hostess. In fact, this last one never stopped from harassing her so she would accept to learn magic, a thing the young girl refused, persuaded as she was that her father wouldn't be long. (Even though it did mean Belle's death, who used to be her best friend, but it would signify the destruction of the Beast.)

The witch stayed patient, she had all her time, and knew the child would soon lose hope to see her father again. Because what the witch didn't tell to Rumplestiltskin, nor to Rapunzel, is that Belle would wait for one hundred year to die, the time that every drop of her blood that was in her body get out of it.

The first days, Rapunzel was the one who had to make the cleaning in the tower, as the witch was too old to do it (even though she could have done it with her magic); she proposed to the young woman to learn her some spells so she shouldn't have to do it without magic. But Rapunzel was someone really stubborn, and preferred to use the traditional broom. The witch just admired this strong character she had, and that she would soon break into pieces…

 _§§§§_

After three weeks, Rapunzel began to realize that there was something wrong in this situation. The witch seemed to be too well-assured of herself, when the adolescent told her that Rumplestiltskin would some come here. Rapunzel began to understand that the witch didn't tell them everything; the trip from their kingdom shouldn't have been that long, even though it must had been difficult to him to put Belle in contact with the spell.

One evening, worried not to have news from her father, she confronted the witch.

"And my father ? When will he be back ?

\- I don't know child.

\- Or… will he be back ?"

And then, the witch smiled. Hope was slowly disappearing in Rapunzel' spirit, and it was exactly what she wanted.

"Maybe, Rapunzel, but I have doubts about it.

\- But… why ? That can't be possible, he made me a _promise_ !

\- Maybe, but I don't think it changes something about that."

Suspicious, the young girl frowned. The old woman may knew how to play well a role, but Rapunzel understood at her badly disguised smile that she still hide something from her.

"I don't know many things about magic, and I don't want to know things about it. But the thing I know well is that all magic comes with a price. And I guess I am not the only one my father had to pay, right ?"

The other one smile accentuated.

"Right. A clue, it's about the time that will be needed before your dear princess die.

(She wasn't afraid to inform the young woman of that, who couldn't say it to her father. And, then, maybe it would help her to understand where her interest was.) Rapunzel became pale.

\- It won't be that easy, right ? She won't die now. How many times will it be ? She hiccuped, afraid.

\- Well… as a hundred year, she says, calmly."

Rapunzel' look had now a light of fear, and she began to tremble, as the witch's words printed in her mind. She needed some seconds to realize that _she wasn't able to breathe_. She didn't lose conscience, and succeeded to take her breath again, terror and horror still present in her.

"A hundred years ! She will need a hundred years to die ? But… it's inhuman, even for someone as the Beast ! Rapunzel then shouted."

She didn't want to listen to the witch, and as she didn't believe her, Rapunzel went into her room, fell on the bed and began to cry.

"He will come back for me, Rumplestiltskin's daughter whispered between her slobs. I am _sure_. That can't be differently. She lied to me so I give up and accept to learn magic."

But the witch didn't lie, and that, Rapunzel would soon understand it…

 _§§§§_

It is just days after that that Rapunzel accepted to talk to the witch again, to tell her that she would learn magic with her. The witch knew that she won, and the young girl began her learning.

But the witch was wrong; Rapunzel was still persuaded that her father would soon arrive here, he would come, and Belle would die rapidly. ( _And she wasn't even guilty to wish her former best friend's death, someone she formerly wished to_ _be_ _more than that for her._ ) So, she resigned herself to learn this magic that profoundly disgusted herself, a dark magic, terrible, and _evil_. She didn't want, because _it_ _wasn't_ _her_.

And there was also her father, who would surely have felt a deep feeling of disappointment if he knew it. ( _But he would never know, right, because in the end he would never come back to her. No, I can't think that, I just can't_ ). And it wasn't what she wanted.

So, she really tried _not_ to learn all these damn spells, a thing she didn't really succeed to do. But, to her great joy (and the disappointment of the witch), she hadn't great dispositions for the magic (and she wasn't really enthusiastic at doing it), even if she did have skills in it now.

And she had to learn it, with a great disgust, still hoping that some day, _something_ , anything would happen, and she would be freed from this hell. The young woman learned lately that she would never come back home…

 _§§§§_

Some days after her twenty, Rapunzel finally understood that the witch didn't lie to her, never did, and it didn't happen by chance. In fact, during this period, she had to study the sleeping curses, as the one who would hit Snow White in the future, but also the one under which Belle was.

Suddenly, Rapunzel saw that this spell killed the person who was hit by plunging her in a deep sleep which would last hundred year, and would stop when the poor princess would have lost all her blood. A hiccup of horror crossed through the daughter of the one who cast the spell, because she lost every hope to go again in her realm.

Her father would live during this time without getting old, as he cast the curse. But the rest of the realm would sleep, and his father would be _alone_ , without her. And maybe this thought was what made her cry, more than knowing she would stay there.

But also because even though the witch that trapped them here was with her, an only though obsessed the poor Rapunzel. _I am all alone now, I know it, I am alone now_. And her body began to tremble again, as she lost her hope to have her father with her. She would die one day, because no one can live more than hundred year, not without losing its abilities.

Except the witches, but Rapunzel didn't want to become _that_ , she would never see her father again, and her heart seemed to bleed, as she realized finally all that she lost. But also all they had, her father and her, to pay as price to save their realm.

By seeing her young apprentice in this state, the witch, who was waiting for this reaction walked not far from her bedroom, and had another smile. Because now, this future young witch was _her_ , and this, forever…

 _To be continued…_


	17. OS 3 Part 3 : A bitter freedom

OS 3 Part 3 : A bitter freedom.

OS in some parts, centred on Rapunzel, her awakening after her father left her, and her life in the tower until she was released from it.

Pairing : No pairing (slight Prince/Rapunzel)

Since Rapunzel was prisoner of the witch, four long years passed, as she tried not completely loose hope. But it was in vain. The witch talked to her about a hundred year, and it had been a so long time since she was there. She couldn't support it any more. She was twenty, and she felt so, so old… And desperate.

The loneliness was something terrible to her, the simple idea to be forced to be more than ninety years with this damn witch didn't please her. She missed her father, but he wasn't the only one she wanted to be with. She would have given anything to be able to see Belle again, to tell her how she cared for her, that, and other things…

Belle had been her friend before it, before the darks days, before the Beast came and began to denature everything. The fact that her father took her from the court, Rapunzel accepted it, but she would have wanted not to be separated from her friend she cared so much for (she didn't know at that time what she really felt for he, after all, she was just six years old. But nothing happened between them then after that.)

Oh, of course, she saw again the princess after, but during parties. She had been stupefied by her beauty, her kindness, and her innocence, not understanding why her father looked at the adolescent of fourteen years, as Rapunzel was, with a mix of fascination, horror, sympathy, and regret. And, after this strange moment, she couldn't help but questioning her father about that. Never Rumplestiltskin seemed to her as old as he was at this moment.

And he explained her. And it took time to him; he talked about the queen, who didn't come really from their world. And he also deal with the love between this human king and this woman from the see that had to give up her world for him. And Belle, of course, that everyone saw as an angel, and that no one would have seen as a demon, and who was both of them, in a way. He told her what the Beast was, what she did; and worst, what she could do, things worst surely, if they let her act.

 _§§§§_

Despite her former friendship (they didn't see each other now), the young girl reacted rapidly :

"But dad, why don't we stop her ? She is dangerous, we can't let her act. What she does, it's… inhuman."

There had been the cat, Domino, killed by her, and also this stable boy, she hit several time and that almost died, as she almost killed him. And of course, she wouldn't stop, at least not before the beast died, or that she was destroyed.

Unlike her father, Rapunzel, as she knew all the horror that the young princess could inspire and all she did, wasn't able to see her not as a horrible monster. The beauty that hypnotized everyone on the court, as Rapunzel' father, Rumplestiltskin, or the young men in the castle, now disgusted the young Rapunzel.

All that she succeeded to see in her was the monster that the innocent young woman hide in her, and she refused since this day to see her again (she was afraid… no, she was terrified, none because of the double-nature of Belle, but by the fact that _no one_ would have been brave enough to stop her if she showed her true nature). And despite that, despite all of this, she couldn't be angry at Belle. She didn't choose to be the Beast, worst, she knew none of it.

 _§§§§_

But today, as she was isolated in this tower, without her father, she may missed the princess more than anyone. When she succeeded to sleep (and that after hours of insomnia), she dreamt about her, both of them, sometime her father himself (from their past memories), or only Belle.

Rapunzel was unhappy, and of course, it wasn't ready to stop. Unlike her will, that more and more gave up to the witch's. She was learning magic, against her will… and she hated it. It wasn't what she wanted, at least, not this magic, which looked too much like Belle's, magic both fascinating and absolutely terrible.

She firstly learned to defend herself, to do shields but also to flee with teleportation (she just appreciated the irony, as she could flee, but hadn't the right to do it). She also learned to fight though magic, with fireballs or ice-balls; but also to rip out people's hearts.

As the days passed, Rapunzel hated herself more and more. She swore to herself that she wouldn't use what this monstrous woman was learning to her, never. Magic would never be a solution that she could use, even though there was a risk to die. She just felt too well how her heart was darkening as magic more and more settled in her. Magic to which she couldn't resist.

At no moment she thought about escaping from the tower. She could have done it, but she was so afraid of the fact that it could destroy the realm (how it could have happened, she didn't know) that she didn't dare. Her father made a deal with the witch, and she wouldn't break it. The thing she didn't know is that she would have to, almost against her will, two years later.

 _§§§§_

The day she saw the prince for the first time, there was a beautiful weather, and the witch was sleeping. It was almost by chance, and they could have not see each other. The young woman of twenty-two years was at the window, and she was saying to herself with melancholia by looking at the ground that she could also have put an end to this by throwing herself from the high of the tower.

It wasn't the first time that she thought about it, as she saw no other escape to this situation, except this death that seemed to hand her her arms, and in which she wanted sometimes to throw herself. She rapidly looked at her long dark hair, and had a light smile.

Since forever, she was proud of this superb hair that she had from her mother, and that made the admiration of her father, and of Belle, as her hair were long since forever. As she was in the tower, these last were now almost as her feet, and also more, and without admiring it, as she did before, she plunged herself again in her morbid thoughts.

In fact, she told to herself that she could have ended her life, and with life by hanging her herself to this long hair. It would have been so simple ! Maybe not quick, but at least, she would be free from this destiny she didn't choose, she would have this liberty she missed so much and that had been the price to pay to save the kingdom. But then, she didn't think to it, but to something else, as she heard a strange noise.

She needed some minutes to recognize the noise of the steps of a horse that was approaching. More by curiosity than for another reason, she looked at the outside to see who was coming in the direction of the tower. No one approached it, to Rapunzel' despair, as everyone knew that it was the witch's home, and that they were all afraid of her.

Some seconds later, she saw the horse, with a rider on his back; it was a young man who seemed lost. The young woman just felt relieved that the witch was sleeping; she didn't even want to think of what would have happened if the old woman had been there. But, carefully, she cast a spell of silence, so the witch wouldn't heard them, despite her disgust for magic. As she did, she looked again, and just smiled when she saw the lost look and full of incomprehension of the horse-rider.

 _For this time, as there is something happening there, I won't stop myself from enjoying it…_

She talked to him first, asking to him, amused, if he was lost. Not understanding at first from where the voice was coming, he searched for it an instant without seeing her, before he finally saw the look of a young woman that was laughing. He then smiled, also amused, and leaded his horse not far from the tower.

"Tell me my lady, what did I do so you had fun at me on this way ?

\- I'm sorry young man, but to see you lost amused me a lot. You see, I don't have many distractions, so this made me laugh."

Adopting at first a non natural tone in their conversation, as they talked, their tone became more and more normal, and they began to talk almost as friends. But this pause in Rapunzel' life wasn't long, and the prince had to leave, after Rapunzel showed him where to go. They were in time, because the witch woke up not a long time after. Rapunzel was afraid that she had a doubt about it, because of the spell, but she just smiled.

"As I saw it, you trained yourself for your magic. Very good spell of silence, weren't you changing your mind ?"

Understanding the mistake of her gaoler, the young woman accepted to nod, and despite her real disgust against the magic. The old woman nodded her head, persuaded that her apprentice was beginning to change her point of view on magic. She couldn't have been more wrong…

 _§§§§_

Rapunzel absolutely didn't know that the man with who she talked was a prince; and even though she knew it, it would have changed nothing. After all, her best friend was a princess, herself was a noble, so she knew perfectly how to act with them. But it didn't matter, she would have accepted his presence, prince or not. In fact, he was the first friendly figure that she saw since almost six long and desperately years.

The princes wasn't even beautiful. He had a banal face, which wasn't really awful, but without being really extraordinary. He also had not much conversation, and behind a great part of what he said there was a certain arrogance. As she lived with noble people, Rapunzel did remark it, but she _needed_ so much to talk with someone like her (a human being who wouldn't be corrupted by magic, in fact) that she didn't take it into account, without paying a great attention to it.

Days passed, looking all the same, and Rapunzel began again to more and more fall into depression, thinking about suicide as the only option that would free her from this prison from which she hadn't the right to get out. She now was persuaded that the unknown man wouldn't come back, that she would be alone again, and again, and again in this cursed tower. So, she was truly surprised when the strange man came again toward her. They talked again, and the prince, presenting himself, declared he had been send by his father to live an adventure and act heroically.

The young noble also presented herself, saying him that she was here to save her realm from a monster, and she had been sacrificed for this reason. The young man was touched by her situation, and proposed her to free her from the tower. Rapunzel looked at him some seconds with a terrible look and then, without preventing him, she burst into laugher. A laugh that made the young prince start. It had nothing to do with the amused laugh of the other day, but now was cold, freezing, but also seeming to be profoundly cynical; even before the prince had the time to understand what was happening to him, the young woman had disappeared from his vision.

The second after, she was just next to him, the look full of anger, and the hand in his chest. The prince began to suffocate, and looked at her with a panicked and scared look, not understanding what was happening.

"You should know, noble prince, she whistled, that _I am not a little fragile thing_ , is that right ? I know how to fight, and I learned against my will dark magic, and if I had choice to do it, don't you think that _I would have already ran_ ? But _I don't have the choice_. My father made a deal with this damned witch, I have to stay here for a hundred year ! At least if she dies, I will _never_ be free. And in the case you didn't know it, my hand is now on your heart, that I could easily rip out in one gesture if I wanted to do."

As she said it, she let her hand brusquely go out of it, but without taking his heart, and the prince was able to breathe again, and her breath stayed erratic for a time. He looked at Rapunzel with a look full of terror and she had a contrite smile. She then excused herself for her attitude. But in fact, the prince started to look at her with suspicion. He finally understood that a pretty face could sometimes hide a terrible warrior. But despite that, he wanted to help her, as save a woman in distress was something goodly seen (even though she wasn't really in distress.)

"So, you can't flee; or at least you don't have the right to, as you're afraid to loose your kingdom. Did she do any threat about it ? What will happen if you flee ?

\- I don't know, but..."

And, as they were still talking, they heard a voice coming from the tower, saying : "Rapunzel, where are you ?"

Then, the prince saw a change rapidly come in Rapunzel; disappeared the warrior, vanished the young fierce woman, evaporated the enraged lioness. He was just seeing a scared little girl.

"You should hide yourself, she whispered, with a light of fear in her eyes."

Understanding her terror, the prince nodded, and went out with his horse, in silence.

 _§§§§_

Rapunzel just needed a demi-second to go back into the tower. The witch looked at her with a deep suspicion, waiting for an explanation that she tried to give her, explaining that she wanted to walk outside, on the ground and not far from the forest.

The old woman said nothing. But then, during the days after that, she decided to put a spell which would stop Rapunzel from fleeing by helping herself with magic (and if she tried to go out without magic, she would die). Rapunzel was desperate, her only link with the outside had just been cut and she didn't know what to do. The prince would probably not come back there, and she strangely felt more alone than before the prince came here, because she had the conscious of what she lost, someone who could have helped her to go out of this hell.

What she didn't know, is that the young prince was resourceful; some days after, she received a letter from him, through a dove; it explained that he succeeded to flee with his horse, and that he was sorry that her situation wasn't getting better. They wrote to each other during the next weeks, the prince still being for her the only link with the outside, her only breath of air in this stifling and oppressive prison. The only moment where she was herself again, Rapunzel, the young noble daughter of Rumplestiltskin and friend of the princess Belle, was in her epistolary exchanges with the prince.

The prince wasn't a hero, he now did nothing extraordinary (except saving a young innocent and broken woman of the complete desperation); for Rapunzel, he wasn't her "prince charming" (she found this concept pretty ridiculous in reality). But only a friend that stopped her from sinking.

Her relationship with the witch didn't stop from becoming worse; this one didn't stop her from doing magic. At the contrary, as her purpose was to make the young woman's heart become with time as cold and dark as hers. But she was despite it more strict toward her, as she forbid her to go out of the tower.

Everything changed a day of autumn. The weather was really bad-tempered, unlike sometimes, and really goodly reflected Rapunzel' mood who was… sulking at the witch. Simply, she should have had her birthday some days ago, she was twenty-two, and to remember that she was there since six years had deeply depressed her. But, she didn't receive any letter from the prince this day; but she had the surprise to see him under the tower. She didn't have to to tell him to leave as the witch was occupied in another part of the tower, as she did it occasionally.

Rapunzel stayed petrified for some seconds, not daring to believe to what she was seeing in front of her, before she began to talk with him. And for the first time since a long time, she gave herself the right to behave as she did before, when she still was with her father. So, as they talked, he finally made her a completely unhoped for proposal; help her to flee with him and escape to this miserable life. He looked at her hair, and asked her to throw it to him. And when he began to climb to it, she felt pain. Not that he was heavy, but despite that, his weight did pull a little on her hair.

Luckily, this moment wasn't that long, and he finally go up on the top of the tower.

"The witch is dangerous, so what do you think you will do ? I doubt that you have enough ways to defeat her. Even me, I can't."

The prince smiled: "I have a plan."

 _§§§§_

In the plan formulated by the prince, Rapunzel was finally the one who had the most things to do; she thought a time to use her magic against the witch, but as she was a prisoner since so much time, she almost forgot what it was to make her own choices. She needed someone to let her go from this conditioning so she could free herself. Because the only true role of this prince had been to help her to realize it; finally she could have almost do it herself. Even though he would be the one who would kill the witch.

So, they did as they said, and at the wake up of the witch when she faced them, Rapunzel had despite her disgust to use her magic to immobilize her. She felt the nausea invade her, and facing the ironic smile of the witch, this one just accentuated. The old woman looked at her. So then, it was how it ended. She should have seen it coming; she was becoming old now, and she didn't see it. But she couldn't be against her. The only thing she tried to do, it was to break a young innocent. After all, wasn't that that happened to her centuries ago ?

In fact, she didn't want to defend herself. See Rapunzel, with the face full of remorse was enough to her. And then, she had to let them a hope that everything would end goodly, even though it was a non rational hope.

"Can I know what you're doing ?" She finally asked to the other witch. Rapunzel didn't answer.

"You will kill me, so I have the right to know what you will do after you escaped.

\- I'm not the one who will kill you, let Rapunzel escape in a whisper. Use magic was still uncomfortable to her.

\- Oh ? You think he will ? What do you think he will do then ? According to you, will he be your happy ending, your _prince Charming_ , as they say ?

\- I don't need a prince, or someone else to be happy.

\- I never doubted about it; but what do you wait to finish it ?

\- If I kill you, does the deal my father did will be broken ? What will happen to my kingdom ?

\- It's funny, it seems as you decided to take the responsibility of my death."

She ignored the look full of furor of Rapunzel..

"Don't worry, it will change nothing, in less than hundred years, your dear princess will die. And your father will be again alone forever, as he had been in a period that no human could support.

\- Do it, she ordered to the prince, disgusted by the discourse of the witch who grinned, as she had what she wanted.

\- He won't make you happy, the witch said before she was killed; no one will be able to. Because when you try the dark magic, there is nothing that can help you face the loss you feel when you don't practise it. The other human being will flee you, always, and loneliness will become your best friend. It what happened to me. This is not a threat, just a warning. You will end alone."

And, before the prince could kill the witch, Rapunzel, enraged, took the sword from him and then put it into the belly of her gaoler. She then looked at her with dark eyes, in the witch's eyes:

"I am not like you, she hiccuped.

\- Really ? The other one whispered before she fell. I have the impression that you just proved me the contrary."

Rapunzel let her fall, and, trembling, she let the sword fall on the ground, missing the scared look of the prince. This one was beginning to understand that he may did a mistake by trying to save her. Well, in fact, she saved herself, in a way. He realized that she scared him, that she wasn't a lady in distress, despite her fragility, and that her pretty face made him be wrong about her. What he was going to do of her now, he had no idea.

 _§§§§_

As they knew the witch was dead (they didn't look at this, not really, they just saw she wasn't breathing any more), Rapunzel made the spell that stopped her from leaving with magic disappear. The prince looked at her with surprise:

"Why didn't you do that before ? He received as an answer a dark look from her.

\- Because I thought that I couldn't leave ! Of course, you don't know what it is to be locked in a tower far from your family, knowing your father is the prisoner from a curse that will last for still hundred year or almost ! What did you want me to do ?"

In one gesture, she made them go out of the tower and then, taken by a sudden impulsion, she made appear a pair of scissors and cut a part of her long hair, and these one now only fell until her reins.

Facing the prince's surprise, she explained herself: "It will be easier to walk."

Then, they walked for a journey that lasted some days, during these one, they became close to each other, and that was coming from the prince himself. Because, he had to confess it, she pleased him a little, this young woman.

On her side, Rapunzel had also to tell herself that she appreciated this young man that saved her from her hell, but she didn't really want to link with someone after all that happened to her. It was this that parted them, helped by the fact the prince felt "cold" because of the too "warrior" aspect of the young woman. Not far from a village, they separated from each other in bad terms, and in this village, Rapunzel came to it, as the prince came back to his realm.

When she arrived to it, she tried to explain her story, rapidly understanding they didn't believe her and that if she didn't stop from talking, they would think she was crazy. So, she shut up, and clenched her fists. She was alone, again, and for a long time, if not forever.

She didn't know that at that same moment, she was observed by the witch through her mirror. She stand up, despite her wound that then cured. Then, she smiled, a sad and almost false smile. They didn't know that the witches were almost impossible to kill, except in some rare exception.

What happened between the young woman and the prince had been observed by the witch. She didn't want to have her again in there, or to fight to do it, she was too tired for that. And she had what she wanted, as the other was now alone.

Rapunzel was desperate, because despite her new freedom, she felt more unhappy than ever. She walked for a time in the village that would soon become her new world, from which she knew she would never go out of. She swore definitely _not_ to use magic again, _never_ , so her heart wouldn't become as cold and dead ad the witch's was. She would fight against what the other told her, and one day, she would find her happy ending.

But her, she could find one. Not her father. He would stay alone, for years, decades, unlike her. She would wait, wait that the curse end by living her life, even though she would probably die before the end. But she knew that her dad would never be happy, trapped into a sleeping and almost dead realm.

 _Yes_ , she said to herself, _that's an evidence, all the stories don't always have a happy ending._

The end.


End file.
